. Victor H. Anderson
May 21, 1917 -- Sept. 20, 2001
May 21, 1917 -- Sept. 20, 2001
Victor H. Anderson was born May 21, 1917 to parents Hilbert and Frances in Clayton,
New Mexico. He was delivered by his father on their ranch.
An accident at the age of two left Victor almost totally without sight. He was, however,
highly skilled at etheric sight and could clearly see auras and other etheric phenomena.
As a result of the accident, he attended a school for the blind in Oregon. Largely
self-educated, Victor had a profound love of physics, chemistry, literature and world
spiritual traditions. He was an avid reader, storyteller and brilliant linguist who spoke
numerous languages including Hawaiian, Spanish, Creole, Italian and Gaelic.
Victor was a gifted Craft priest, shaman, and poet, who had strong memories of past lives
as a Witch. Victor told of being initiated as a Witch by a woman "of the Fairy race" when
he was nine years old. One account of this event can be found in Margot Adler's classic
book on neo-Paganism, Drawing Down the Moon. Not long afterward, Victor was
introduced to the Harpy coven in Bend, Oregon, as a teen. This group of people worked
with the energy in the 1920's and '30's which eventually became the source of the Faerie
Tradition. Harpy was a pre-Gardnerian group and very different from other Neopagan
Wicca groups in that it was initiatory and magical, working on the phases of the moon.
Harpy disbanded around the time of World War II, shortly before Victor met Cora, and
Victor doesn't seem to have kept in contact with the members. As a young teen, Victor
was also initiated into Vodou by a Mambo from Haiti who had immigrated to southern
Oregon.
Victor met his wife, Cora in person in Bend, Oregon in 1944. Recognizing each other
immediately, they married three days later on May 3rd. Both immediately felt that they'd
already met. They soon realized that their previous acquaintance had been on the astral
plane, where they'd traveled together and made love many times before. The newly-weds
compared notes and found they'd both grown up in families with magical lore. One of the
first things they did together was build an altar.
Cora was a Southerner, as had been most of the members of Harpy Coven. She was
born Cora Ann Cremeans on January 26, 1915, in rural Alabama. Cora's family practiced
folk magic and she had a grandfather who was a "root doctor." He cured her of a serious
illness in her youth and later shared his magical lore with her. Cora was a natural psychic
and an authentic kitchen Witch. She worked for years as a hospital cook and would often
infuse healing energy into food for the patients. Cora sometimes refers to herself as a
simple "hill Witch," but under that simplicity lies a profound understanding of both life and
the Craft. She brought Southern folk magic to the practice she and Victor shared and
developed. When Gardnerian and Alexandrian materials were published in the 1960's and
1970's, Victor incorporated some of them into his practice.
New Mexico. He was delivered by his father on their ranch.
An accident at the age of two left Victor almost totally without sight. He was, however,
highly skilled at etheric sight and could clearly see auras and other etheric phenomena.
As a result of the accident, he attended a school for the blind in Oregon. Largely
self-educated, Victor had a profound love of physics, chemistry, literature and world
spiritual traditions. He was an avid reader, storyteller and brilliant linguist who spoke
numerous languages including Hawaiian, Spanish, Creole, Italian and Gaelic.
Victor was a gifted Craft priest, shaman, and poet, who had strong memories of past lives
as a Witch. Victor told of being initiated as a Witch by a woman "of the Fairy race" when
he was nine years old. One account of this event can be found in Margot Adler's classic
book on neo-Paganism, Drawing Down the Moon. Not long afterward, Victor was
introduced to the Harpy coven in Bend, Oregon, as a teen. This group of people worked
with the energy in the 1920's and '30's which eventually became the source of the Faerie
Tradition. Harpy was a pre-Gardnerian group and very different from other Neopagan
Wicca groups in that it was initiatory and magical, working on the phases of the moon.
Harpy disbanded around the time of World War II, shortly before Victor met Cora, and
Victor doesn't seem to have kept in contact with the members. As a young teen, Victor
was also initiated into Vodou by a Mambo from Haiti who had immigrated to southern
Oregon.
Victor met his wife, Cora in person in Bend, Oregon in 1944. Recognizing each other
immediately, they married three days later on May 3rd. Both immediately felt that they'd
already met. They soon realized that their previous acquaintance had been on the astral
plane, where they'd traveled together and made love many times before. The newly-weds
compared notes and found they'd both grown up in families with magical lore. One of the
first things they did together was build an altar.
Cora was a Southerner, as had been most of the members of Harpy Coven. She was
born Cora Ann Cremeans on January 26, 1915, in rural Alabama. Cora's family practiced
folk magic and she had a grandfather who was a "root doctor." He cured her of a serious
illness in her youth and later shared his magical lore with her. Cora was a natural psychic
and an authentic kitchen Witch. She worked for years as a hospital cook and would often
infuse healing energy into food for the patients. Cora sometimes refers to herself as a
simple "hill Witch," but under that simplicity lies a profound understanding of both life and
the Craft. She brought Southern folk magic to the practice she and Victor shared and
developed. When Gardnerian and Alexandrian materials were published in the 1960's and
1970's, Victor incorporated some of them into his practice.
In 1945 their son Elon was born. His name was given to Cora in a dream and means "Oak" in Hebrew. The
young family moved to Niles, California, in 1948. They eventually purchased a home and settled for good in
nearby San Leandro. In the mid-1950s, Victor and Cora read Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today with interest. It
seemed that Witchcraft was becoming more public. As a consequence, Victor had the idea of starting a coven
based on the Craft knowledge that he and Cora already shared.
Victor started teaching the Feri Tradition, then known as Vicia, more-or-less in its modern form. He began
initiating people on an individual basis into the tradition. According to his wife Cora, Victor received a letter in
1960 (other accounts say it was a phone call) from several witches in Italy, among them Dr. Leo Martello,
encouraging him to form a coven in California. The result was an early Anderson coven known as Mahealani,
which is Hawaiian for "full moon."
young family moved to Niles, California, in 1948. They eventually purchased a home and settled for good in
nearby San Leandro. In the mid-1950s, Victor and Cora read Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today with interest. It
seemed that Witchcraft was becoming more public. As a consequence, Victor had the idea of starting a coven
based on the Craft knowledge that he and Cora already shared.
Victor started teaching the Feri Tradition, then known as Vicia, more-or-less in its modern form. He began
initiating people on an individual basis into the tradition. According to his wife Cora, Victor received a letter in
1960 (other accounts say it was a phone call) from several witches in Italy, among them Dr. Leo Martello,
encouraging him to form a coven in California. The result was an early Anderson coven known as Mahealani,
which is Hawaiian for "full moon."
In the 1960's, the family befriended a friend of their sons who grew to became the man
known as Gwydion Pendderwen (Tom DeLong). As a bard sometimes called the Faerie
Shaman, Gwydion became one of Victor's best known initiates, spreading some Faerie
knowledge through the Neopagan community in the 1970's, and recording his stirring
songs, until he died in an automobile accident in 1981. Gwydion became a major
contributor to the developing direction of the tradition. He wrote Craft songs and poetry
and co-wrote rituals with Victor, adding much of the Celtic, particularly some of the Welsh
lore and material (which he so loved), which was absent from Victor's earlier practice.
There are some initiates, particularly those of Gwydion's direct lineage, who consider him
a co-founder of the Feri Tradition.
known as Gwydion Pendderwen (Tom DeLong). As a bard sometimes called the Faerie
Shaman, Gwydion became one of Victor's best known initiates, spreading some Faerie
knowledge through the Neopagan community in the 1970's, and recording his stirring
songs, until he died in an automobile accident in 1981. Gwydion became a major
contributor to the developing direction of the tradition. He wrote Craft songs and poetry
and co-wrote rituals with Victor, adding much of the Celtic, particularly some of the Welsh
lore and material (which he so loved), which was absent from Victor's earlier practice.
There are some initiates, particularly those of Gwydion's direct lineage, who consider him
a co-founder of the Feri Tradition.
Victor was an extraordinary shaman and priest, and was one of the last Kahuna, a Houngan, and a Bokor.
Victor and Cora initiated some of the most influential voices in contemporary Paganism. (Starhawk and the late
Gwydion Pendderwen.) He holds ministerial certificates from the Covenant of the Goddess and Universal Life
Church.
Victor was an accomplished poet and the author of Thorns of the Blood Rose (first published in 1970), a book of
love poems and poetry rooted in the Feri Tradition; Etheric Anatomy: The Three Selves and Astral Travel (with
wife Cora); and Lilith's Garden. He was a featured contributor to Witch Eye, Green Egg, and Nemeton
magazines. In 1975 he won the Clover International Poetry Competition Award.
Victor was always a tireless student of the occult, and had many teachers and collaborators over the years. His
memory was phenomenal, and like the Bards of old, he possessed a vast store of memorized lore, poetry, spells
and songs. Victor was gifted with a beautiful speaking and singing voice, loved to sing, was adept on the drum,
and also played the accordion professionally. Victor earned his livelihood as a musician, playing the accordion
at public and private dances. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Alameda Lodge for 40 years.
Victor and Cora continued teaching right up until Victor's death, initiating some 25 to 30 people over a span of
40 or so years. In honor of their 50th wedding anniversary in 1984, Cora wrote and published Fifty Years in the
Feri Tradition. This book is still the definitive written work on Feri/Vicia thealogy and practice.
Victor crossed over on September 20, 2001 in his home. His passing was swift and painless, as was his wish.
REFERENCES:
Wikipedia
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/5569/Faery_Trad_Intro.html
http://www.lilithslantern.com/victor.htm
http://www.acornguild.com/vha.html
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=ukgb2&c=trads&id=7737
Victor and Cora initiated some of the most influential voices in contemporary Paganism. (Starhawk and the late
Gwydion Pendderwen.) He holds ministerial certificates from the Covenant of the Goddess and Universal Life
Church.
Victor was an accomplished poet and the author of Thorns of the Blood Rose (first published in 1970), a book of
love poems and poetry rooted in the Feri Tradition; Etheric Anatomy: The Three Selves and Astral Travel (with
wife Cora); and Lilith's Garden. He was a featured contributor to Witch Eye, Green Egg, and Nemeton
magazines. In 1975 he won the Clover International Poetry Competition Award.
Victor was always a tireless student of the occult, and had many teachers and collaborators over the years. His
memory was phenomenal, and like the Bards of old, he possessed a vast store of memorized lore, poetry, spells
and songs. Victor was gifted with a beautiful speaking and singing voice, loved to sing, was adept on the drum,
and also played the accordion professionally. Victor earned his livelihood as a musician, playing the accordion
at public and private dances. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Alameda Lodge for 40 years.
Victor and Cora continued teaching right up until Victor's death, initiating some 25 to 30 people over a span of
40 or so years. In honor of their 50th wedding anniversary in 1984, Cora wrote and published Fifty Years in the
Feri Tradition. This book is still the definitive written work on Feri/Vicia thealogy and practice.
Victor crossed over on September 20, 2001 in his home. His passing was swift and painless, as was his wish.
REFERENCES:
Wikipedia
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/5569/Faery_Trad_Intro.html
http://www.lilithslantern.com/victor.htm
http://www.acornguild.com/vha.html
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=ukgb2&c=trads&id=7737
Books, Gifts and More
